Strickland Introduces Bill Addressing Toxic Chemical Killing Pacific Northwest Salmon

Washington, D.C. - Today, during Puget Sound Day on the Hill, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Co-Chair of the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus, introduced her 6PPD Task Force Act. The bill creates a Task Force to bridge together federal, state, tribal, and industry voices to coordinate further 6PPD-quinone (6PPD) research and identify a safe alternative.

U.S. Representative Emily Randall (WA-06), and Puget Sound Recovery Caucus Co-Chair, is co-leading the bill, and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) is leading the Senate companion bill. This bill is the first 6PPD bill introduced at the federal level.

"Rapid population growth in our region means more residue from tires (6PPD) and stormwater that pollute Puget Sound. This harms our salmon, violates tribal treaty rights, hurts our economy, and our way of life in the Pacific Northwest," said Strickland. "We cannot wait another two decades for the next research breakthrough. My bill sounds the alarm on 6PPD and brings all voices to the table to find short-term and long-term solutions."

"6PPD is a disaster for our ecosystems, our economy, and Tribal communities," said Senator Merkley. "As we consider how to transition away from using this dangerous, salmon-killing chemical, we must consider important questions of science, consumer safety, Tribal rights, and species extinction as it relates to 6PPD. As the top Democrat on the subcommittee overseeing environmental justice and chemical safety, I'll continue to sound the alarm on the very real threats posed by 6PPD and push for every effort to find a much less harmful ingredient for manufacturing tires."

"Salmon are a way of life in the Pacific Northwest - Tribal nations who have stewarded the lands and waters since time immemorial and our fishing communities rely on the health and wellbeing of this keystone species," said Rep. Randall. "We know that 6PPD - a highly toxic chemical in our tires - is wiping out Coho salmon. I'm proud to join my fellow Puget Sound Recovery Co-Chair, Rep. Strickland, in introducing this bill to bring federal, state, and Tribal partners together to help advance research and protect salmon populations for generations to come."

6PPD-quinone is a toxic chemical from tires that runs off into stormwater and ends up in rivers, the Sound, and the ocean, and is killing coho salmon in the Pacific Northwest. The Task Force will move forward research, mitigation efforts, and a safer alternative for 6PPD.

"To help protect and restore wild salmon, we must find a way to reduce the magnitude of impacts from toxins in stormwater runoff. This bill will marshal important knowledge and practical solutions to strengthen the health of our rivers and their wild salmon," said Guido Rahr, President and CEO of Wild Salmon Center.

Since her first days in office, Strickland has led on the issue of 6PPD. In 2021, Strickland successfully included an amendment in the Environment and Related Agencies section of H.R. 4502, the appropriations minibus package - highlighting the urgency of increasing funding for research into 6PPD. In 2023, Stickland secured federal funding for the University of Washington to help further study salmon and 6PPD. Last year, Strickland sent a letter to the Secretary of the Interior asking that the Administration halt their plans to dismantle the Ecosystems Mission Area of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) - citing 6PPD work.

Read the full bill text here.

Background:

For decades, biologists observed coho salmon dying from mysterious symptoms in Pacific Northwest urban streams. In 2020, after a 20-year and $5 million research effort, a team of scientists from the Center for Urban Waters and Washington Stormwater Center discovered the cause: a toxic chemical called 6PPD-quinone, created when a commonly used antiozonant in tires interacts with ozone. This chemical runs into local streams when it rains, entering the bloodstream of coho salmon and poisoning them.

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is Whip of the New Democrat Coalition, Secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus, and is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress.

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